Balsamic Glazed Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Perfectly crispy and tender oven roasted Brussels sprouts that go from freezer to oven to done in under 20 minutes are the perfect party side dish or better yet entree for us plant based folk! Adorned with sweet dates and crispy, caramelized pecans this dish is hard to compete with for the top veggie of the year!

I always thought it was brussel Sprouts…but turns out it’s BrusselS sprouts. Color me stupid. Regardless of how you say it or spell it… these are fantastic.

Brussels sprouts are a new love for me. I was never a fan of them, primarily because the first time I tasted them they were simply boiled and overcooked…not a good way to be introduced to an already intimidating item. A few years ago, Brussels sprouts started emerging at every new hot spot in the city. They were served in salads, thinly sliced and tossed with light vinaigrettes and bright tomatoes. Or they were roasted and spiked with chilies, bacon, shallots, garlic or all of the above (that sounds like a promising dish right?!)

My foodie city friends not only convinced me to order them but also to try them…such a travesty. For once, I was glad they did. Brussels sprouts were fantastic!!! Chewy, crispy and deliciously savory all in one bite. They were the perfect accompaniment to any meal or a lip smacking meal all on their own. And the health benefits of these cruciferous veggies were undeniable. The first dish I created with these was a super simple roasted sprouts with chili and garlic. (Please be kind…this was one of the first pictures I did on the blog, clearly not my best.)

I could not stop myself from eating them. They were ridiculously delicious and crispy. I could pop them in my mouth like pop-corn and def not feel guilty, maybe a bit bloated but not guilty.

Brussels sprouts soon became my number one ordered item on any menu in any restaurant we went to. However, it was not until my famous New Orleans trip (humble brag—-> great foodie guide to New Orleans here) that I fell in love with them.

We had dinner at my favorite restaurant in New Orleans, Cafe Amelie.

Cafe Amelie is hidden away on Royal St. It was quaint, romantic and the food was ridiculously delicious. This was easily the best meal we had while in Nola. And without a doubt the best ambiance. It was hidden behind ornate wrought iron gates and upon enter it in the evening, as we did, this was our view.

That house is Amelie Cafe, but as you get closer you realize that in front of it is a beautiful courtyard. Complete with fully mature trees reaching towards the sky with ivy draping them like pearls. Twinkle lights hung from the table umbrellas and loud sparks flew from the roaring fire pit that was conveniently surrounded with benches. The place seemed to glimmer. It made perfect sense to us after the night we had that we would end up in a magical place like this.

It was a glorious evening filled with fantastic food. One of those items in particular were the brussels sprouts. This picture does them no justice.

They were roasted to a crispy perfection, accompanied with sweet and chewy dates, tossed with salty pancetta and lightly dressed in a homemade balsamic glaze. I fell so in love with them, I vowed to make them at home.

And so this is my ode to Cafe Amelie’s amazing brussels sprouts. Except with one difference. These boys and girls are vegan. Completely and entirely butter and bacon free and still smoky, crispy, buttery and lovely.

Oh and want to know the best part? They go from freezer to platter in 20 minutes. Yes…these were frozen sprouts. Half the price, all the flavor, none of the dirt. After all my experiences with the sprouts I realized that the worst part is the cleaning and removing of the little stems. Somehow dirt still ends up in them and it’s a headache in a half. But these frozen babies are perfection. Cost wise they are way cheaper and I can get organic almost all the time for a great deal less…no coupons necessary.

I found that the bacon not only added a great crunch but it also added a really delicious smoky attribute…I needed that to balance out the sweetness of the glaze.

The answer——> Liquid smoke.

Liquid smoke is fabulous. But literally use a DROP! Otherwise it will be bitter and remind you of taking a dive face first into the fire pit. Third degree burns not included.

Look how crispy these little sprouts are! Aren’t they just EVERYTHING?!

Here’s a chef hint—> When roasting these, slice them in half first, yes while they are frozen they will slice just fine. By doing this, way more surface area is exposed and you can caramelize all the sides easier which leads to a nice crispy sprout.

I served these up for easy dinners and fancy dinner parties and I always got rave reviews. It comes together so easily you will wonder how you spent your entire life without them!

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Comments

Brussels sprouts are very much in season here and I’m loving every minute of it. I don’t think I’ve eaten so many sprouts in my life! Whilst I may not be a fan of dates, I do like the use of pecans in your recipe. I must try this, perhaps with some currants or raisins.

Oh yes!! I LOVE Brussels Sprouts! I was telling my husband that I need to make a roast just to have a side of roasted Brussels sprouts! This looks insanely good Mila… that crispy caramelized outside?? YUM! I have to say though, your version looks even better than the picture of the one from the restaurant!

Ha! You had me laughing, Mila! I ALWAYS say Brussel Sprouts. Just too many ‘s’s’ in there 😉 I totally agree with you, when brussels sprouts are done right, they are amazing! And this dish certainly looks stellar! It’s actually one of my favorite side dishes, but I’ve never prepared it quite like this! This is a definitely a must-make! Pinned of course!

Yikes, I always thought it was Brussel Sprouts, too! Whoops!
I’ve actually never been a huge fan of BrusselS Sprouts, but this recipe seriously has me reconsidering this, these look beautiful and delicious!

This brussels sprouts look so so good. Love how perfectly crispy it looks and that glaze. awesome! I am not a huge fan of brussels sprouts but this surely gonna change now… Definitely gonna try this amazing dish!

This is such a perfect dish, Mila! I’m adding balsamic vinegar to everything these days and I’m sure it’s perfect with sprouts. Your photography is really gorgeous. Makes me want to eat them this very minute!

You didn’t mention how you sliced each and every sprout in half while they were still frozen. Are you sure you didn’t just use fresh ones and then add the part about frozen ones in order to sell the article? It seems pretty important to your pictures.

Hi Lynn! I slice them while they are still frozen with a sharp knife. It’s actually quite simple! I take my blog very seriously and would never ask my readers to do something I did not do in my recipe ! I promise it’s quite simple to slice them!

Trackbacks

[…] Our next plate was the roasted brussel sprouts. I am a fan of roasted brussel sprouts regardless. However, these were not just plain roasted brussel sprouts. They were roasted to a crispy perfection, accompanied with sweet and chewy dates, tossed with salty pancetta and lightly dressed in a homemade balsamic glaze. I fell so in love with them, I vowed to make them at home. And I did. You check it out here! […]

Hi I’m Mila…

Hi! I’m Mila, the Girl and the Kitchen. And I know good food! Having worked in many incredible restaurant kitchens as a chef, I know what it takes to make delicious food with simple ingredients and bright flavors! I believe that anyone can make great tasting food by knowing a few of the tips of the trade. Read along with me as I teach you how to prepare incredibly tasty and wholesome meals made with simple ingredients that are loaded with flavor in no time at all!